Apparatus and methods for aiding merchants in displaying informational materials concerning products and services have been available in various modes for many years. However, one common problem of known display apparatus and methods is the inability to display information in an organized and economical fashion.
One example of a known apparatus for displaying informational materials is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 1,127,223 to Fogle. This patent discloses a display cabinet having a transparent panel on at least one side to allow viewing display cards received within the cabinet. One side edge of the cabinet is removable to allow access to the interior of the cabinet for manipulation of the cards within the cabinet. While the Fogle patent does disclose an apparatus for displaying information with a limited degree of flexibility in the particular materials displayed, the apparatus is severely limited in the manner in which it may be displayed and therefore, it is not economically suited for wide-scale use. Furthermore, the cabinet of the Fogle patent is not disclosed as being a part of an overall merchandizing system and therefore, it does not provide an organized manner in which merchants can promote their goods and services in a variety of modes.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,905 to Nestegard discloses a free-standing sign holder for supporting removable display cards. As with the apparatus of the Fogle patent, the apparatus of the Nestegard patent is also limited in the manner in which it can be displayed. For example, the sign holder is not readily adaptable for use as a wall display, as well as a standing display. Furthermore, there is no provision for protecting the surface of the display cards when placed within the frames. As a result, the cards are susceptible to damage, thereby precipitating the need for the merchant to replace the cards, thus increasing the cost to the merchant of maintaining the system. Furthermore, the sign holder is not a part of an overall system for conveying information to the consumer in various modes.
More recently, modular display systems have been proposed which allow increased flexibility for merchants. One example is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,766 to Cooper which discloses a panel display system consisting of frames of varying sizes which receive individual display panels. Several frames may be removably interconnected to form a free-standing display presentation by using a specially designed connector or hinge.
One problem with the Cooper system is similar to that of the Nestegard patent, that is, there is no provision for protecting the surface of the display panels when placed within the frames. As a result, the panels are susceptible to damage; precipitating the need for the merchant to replace the panels; and thus increasing the cost to the merchant of maintaining the system. Another problem with the Cooper system lies in the methods disclosed for retaining the display panels within their respective frames. One method attaches the panels with conventional hook-and-loop-type fasteners to an interior edge of the frame. Such fasteners not only have a tendency to lose their adhesive qualities with frequent use, but also have limited strength capabilities and therefore, are not suitable for retaining heavy display panels or artwork. A second method of attaching the display panels involves removing a section of the frame to allow the panel to be slid into a slot formed in the frame. This method is inefficient since it requires disassembly of the display presentation to allow access to the individual frame components. This method requires the system to be rebuilt each time it is desired to change the display panel. Moreover, the Cooper modular display is not a part of an overall system for conveying information to a consumer in various modes. Thus, the Cooper system is neither organized or economical.
It is with these problems of prior display systems that the present invention was developed. The present invention not only overcomes the problems of the above-noted display apparatus, but furthermore, has many advantages not previously achieved in a modular display system.